The weekend in Kansas City was so much fun!
Glenda picked me up at the airport -- what a treat to see her waiting at the exit door! KCI airport is nothing like Orlando's. Each gate (or 3) has its own security at point of embarkation, so there was no problem for Glenda meeting my arrival.
Thanks to her daughter and a map from the Web, we easily found the Hilton President Hotel in the city. The hotel is recently refurbished to its 1916 glory after being closed for about 25 years! Below is the lobby.
After depositing our luggage, Glenda and I headed out to find a place for lunch. In the next block we discovered the entertainment center, with dozens of restaurants and clubs. An open square in the center was setting up for a concert. We grabbed a quick burger and then headed for the Sprint Center, the arena where the bullriding would take place. That was just another block away.
The weather cooperated with temperatures in the low 70s and a cool breeze. We roamed the street where the PBR sponsors had their semis parked and vendors enticed spectators with drawings for free products (didn't win a thing; Glenda really wanted the riding lawn mower for her husband). We later discovered some clothing shops and had fun seeing what the younger generation in KC is wearing.
That evening I wanted to indulge in some Kansas steak (far different.... and better.... than Florida beef) so we looked for a steakhouse. Not far from the hotel was The Chop House. I knew they would have steak. We entered and asked for our table. The first thing the hostess said was, "May I check your coat for you?" I knew at that point this was not a Longhorn or similar eatery. The waiters were dressed formally in ties and green jackets; we were definitely underdressed.
One look at the menu and I knew steak was out of the question. The choices started at 8 ounces for about $33 and went up to 40 ounces. Glenda and I ordered starters, a side vegetable dish, a glass of wine and dessert. Our bill totaled $100 with tip. It was an enjoyable experience but that crashed my daily budget!
Sunday was full of surprises. When we left the hotel for lunch, I was nearly knocked down by the wind. Apparently it was blowing at about 70 mph and took all our strength to remain upright until we turned the corner between buildings. Thank goodness the day was warm. As we walked, at every intersection, the wall of wind would nearly blow us down so we quickly crossed to the quasi-shelter of buildings.
A restaurant called Fran's seemed popular and the menu (which we were able to read outside the entrance this time) agreeable. The surprise this time was that the interior was much like a 50s diner. We felt right at home.
Afterward we headed for the arena, still under assault by the wind, and hurried inside. I have been to a lot of arenas and theaters but this was the first time I recall having to walk through a scanner (like the airport's) as well as having my bag checked.
As we tried to locate our section, we discovered some of the cowboys signing autographs at their sponsors' booths. We picked the shorter lines to stand in and I came away with a few autographs and photos (this one shows Cord McCoy signing his autograph. Some of you may recognize Cord from The Amazing Race where he competed with his brother.)
We finally found our seats, which were in the second row! I had thought the arena had a section of seats in front of us, meaning we would actually be five or six rows higher, but we were almost on the dirt. In fact, I could look a bull in the eye as he lumbered past us (after a buckoff). Below is a photo of the arena before the bullriding started, and another of the fireworks that introduce the day's event:
When we left the arena a few hours later, we encountered another big surprise. We walked into an inferno! That afternoon, the temperature had climbed to 91 degrees. There was still a strong breeze although not like the morning, but this was a 20-degree increase from Saturday at a time of year where 70 is a surprise.
We headed for a place to stay cool and relax before dinner. A brewery restaurant was our choice. A cocktail, crab & artichoke dip and later a sandwich were the perfect ending to a fun day.
But there would be another surprise that night. The midwest, especially Kansas and Missouri, was hit with a severe storm that included 60-70 mph winds, rain and hail (the size of eggs in some places), thunder and lightning. And all of that preceded a cold front that dropped the temperature overnight into the 40s!
When I left for the airport Monday morning (this time on a shuttle bus as Glenda had already left to drive home to Grain Valley, Missouri), the temperature had climbed to about 50. And the wind made it worse. But at least I knew I was headed for Orlando and warmth.
So it was a crazy, fun weekend made more so by the time spent with Glenda. Will I do it again? Definitely.... just not next year. I still have one more trip planned this year, and that is to Las Vegas with my daughter for two days of the PBR World Finals in October.
More about that later.
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